I’m currently using an Eos 30d with a variety of lens and kit to support my wedding, landscape and sports photography and as I drag my new wife around with me, i’ve usually got her on one arm and my camera on the other.

As a result she has finally given in and decided to join me in my hobby, so I am training her up in what to look out for and the various settings on my camera – actually she is picking it up really quickly so I want to get a camera for her own use that is simple enough to use for the basic snappy shots but where she can also accompany me on shoots and get different perspective and reportage style shots.

Herein lies my dillema – I need a second EOS body, i’m ankling after the EOS 5d MkII to use as my primary with the 30d as backup with lens fitted to both for quick shooting. Wifey needs something and i’d like to give her an Eos but it would be too large for the snappy shots and casual taking hence need something more compact but with ideally with the following features:

Control over TV and AV modes for creativity
Flash
Zoom would be great too!
Decent LCD Display
Reasonably Compact design

Any ideas on what I should be looking for? I’m not specifically after new as there are a lot of secondhand bargains around, just too bloody many to choose from.

Was looking at the PowerShot SD450 but there seem to be a lot of problems with E18 errors and it does not cover all the modes I would like – could be a useful backup though.